ORCA Cards for Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) Tenants

Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) residents who live in an SHA owned and managed property are eligible to receive an unlimited-use ORCA card to take transit at no cost.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) partners with the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to provide free, unlimited-use ORCA cards. Cards are valid on King County Metro, King County Water Taxi, Seattle Streetcar, Seattle Center Monorail, Sound Transit, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, Kitsap Transit and Everett Transit.

ORCA cards are valid until December 31, 2026 for all participants who remain in SHA housing. Users may notice ORCA card readers will show an earlier expiration date. Please disregard expiration dates as shown on ORCA card readers for the SHA Free Transit Pass.

How much can I save with this program?

With this program, you can expect to save an average of $1,200 annually.

The Transit Pass Program is available to any SHA resident aged 19 or older who lives at an SHA owned and managed property. Please note if you move out of an eligible SHA property, you will lose access to your unlimited-use ORCA card. If you are unsure if you live in an eligible SHA property or community, please review our list of eligible properties. Please note, your name must be on the lease in order to receive an ORCA card. Household members ages 18 and younger can already ride transit for free through the Free Youth Transit Pass.

The Seattle Housing Authority Transit Pass Program is open for registration!

• Registration form
• If you need help filling out this form, please call or text (206) 615-3551 or email TransitPass@seattlehousing.org.
• You may select your preferred language on the homepage.

If you qualify for this program, we will mail your SHA Transit Pass to your home address within two weeks. If you already submitted an application, do not resubmit another application or your card may be delayed.

How Can I Replace a Lost SHA Transit Pass?

If you lost your ORCA card and need a replacement, you can request a replacement card.You can also contact SHA by emailing TransitPass@seattlehousing.org or calling (206) 615-3551 with your name and mailing address. We will mail the replacement card to you within two weeks.

Refer to the following FAQ files for more information about the program:

• English
• አማርኛ (Amharic)
• اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ (Arabic)
• Español (Spanish)
• ភាសាខ្មែរ (Khmer) 
• Af Soomaali (Somali)
• ትግርኛ (Tigrinya)
• Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) 
• 简体中文 (Simplified Chinese)
• 繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese)

Call or text: (206) 615-3551
Email: TransitPass@seattlehousing.org